Review: Iron Crow's NEXT TO NORMAL, Next To Hippodrome, at M&T Bank Exchange

Iron Crow’s brave production of Next to Normal deserves a longer run in a different venue. Brian Yorkey’s script, though a dramatic treatment of a nearly untouched topic, is, in my opinion, problematic, for a number of reasons. The performers, tech and music almost outweigh them. Almost. If you’re a fan already of Next to Normal, by all means, please ignore my complaints about the script. 

The ‘book’ part of Next to Normal, (book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, music by Tom Kitt) which follows the difficult journey of a woman’s mental illness, is packed with situations that read as if they were copy/pasted from a third-rate textbook about depression. Additionally, it is an upsettingly typical male take on a woman’s experience of depression and the apparently much more significant effect it has on her family. 

The 2-D character archetypes are never fully fleshed out into real personalities- even Diana, the central character, isn’t very deep. Director Natka Bianchini fosters authentic relationships between the characters wherever possible, and I am touched by a sequence between Allison Bradbury as Diana and Alexandra Lopez as Natalie, her daughter. The relationship between Natalie and Henry is full of hope and despair, much of it carried on the emotive shoulders of Jason Zuckerman, who plays Henry. Danny Bertaux as Dan, Diana’s husband, is capable, even relatable. Pat Collins, who plays Dr. Fine/ Dr. Madden, carries the character note of each doctor to its logical high point. The real gem of performance in the cast is Brashley Stein, playing Gabe. The character of Gabe is given complicated motivations, interactions and conditions of existence that are absent for the rest of the characters. Pat Collins, Heather Nicole Reed, Dani Rizzo and Kelly Mok act as Chorus for visual interest and vocal impact, and a fine job they do of it, too. Bianchini punches up the snappy bits of dialogue and keeps the actors moving around the stage to engage visual interest- some sequences are extremely clever and dynamic. 

But never mind about Brian Yorkey’s basic story and banal lyrics. Tom Kitt’s music is flat-out gorgeous, and it's a great idea to focus on that. Thirty separate songs, plus reprises, are melodiously rendered by the brilliant musical performers. Music Direction is by Michelle Henning, who is also on Keyboards. Strong talent of actor/vocalists is surely an advantage; Henning assures that everyone sounds wonderful, and some of the harmonies induce goosebumps. The musicians, my favorite part of the show, are stellar and emphatically deliver the ‘rock’ nature of the rock musical without drowning out the vocals. Jamie Williams is on Guitar, Jared Davis plays Bass, Brett Schatz handles Drums, Ryan Andrews plays Violin, and Cello is by Peter Kibbe. They’re seriously wonderful and I’m glad I got to enjoy the performance.

 The $20 million investment in the former Eutaw Savings Bank, (built in the late 1800s), was not all well spent. There were high hopes for the space. Not all of these hopes have been realized. The affordability of theater offerings in the space is questionable. Seating is less than ideal: the seats are large, plush and comfortable, and one could reasonably expect them to be offset row by row. They instead are organized one behind the other, with the result that the head of the person in front of you effectively blocks your view of the stage. The risers, lifted at far too shallow an angle to counteract the seat arrangement, alternate between flat and recessed, posing a tripping hazard even for the nimble-footed. The blackout curtains at the tall windows are inches too short for complete blackout, so even at night-time, light from the city leaks into the theater. These, I grant you, are venue issues, which could have been anticipated and accounted for at the project's inception, and decidedly NOT the fault of Iron Crow or this polished production. 

Technical elements, however, in the M&T Bank Exchange space, seem very high-end. Bruce Kapplin, who is responsible for Scenic Design and Technical Direction, is not hampered by the restrictions of a meager lighting array or inadequate amplification. The set is multi-leveled, which helps somewhat to alleviate seating-induced sightline challenges. Lighting Designer Thomas P. Gardner pulls off some dramatic visual moments. Projection Designer Chris Carcione creates effects that enhance the set, the mood and the drama of different sequences, some as reinforcement, some as counterpoint to the dialogue/ lyric line. 

Given that Brian Yorkey is no Jonathan Larson, it seems as if Next to Normal wants to be RENT and it’s not, which is too bad because it could’ve been itself, and instead seems derivative and contrived. That being said, the cast is vocally excellent, the musicians even better and the music worth hearing, maybe more than once. It’s a dynamic, active, beautifully rendered performance treating a subject that isn’t often addressed in musical theater. Go for the novelty and the beautiful noise.

Photo, L to R: Brashley Stein, Allison Bradbury & Danny Bertaux as Gabe, Diana & Dan

Photo Credit: Iron Crow Theatre

Running time: 2 hours and 25 minutes, including one intermission

Iron Crow’s Next to Normal plays at M&T Bank Exchange at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 401 W Fayette St., Baltimore, Md 21201 through March 15th. 

Showtimes are Friday 3/13 at 7 PM; Saturday 3/14 at 1 PM and 7 PM; Sunday 3/15 at 1 PM. Ticket prices run $65-100.00, and you can purchase them online.

There’s plenty of parking in downtown Baltimore, some of it on the street if you’re fortunate, (or early), or in the paid lots. The M&T Bank Exchange is near to the redone historic Lexington Market, which I haven’t personally yet experienced, but I’ve heard good things. Consider arriving early enough for a meal there, maybe.